If I kept every book I’ve ever read, it would be interesting around here. I know exactly what my house would look like. I can picture it quite easily because I have seen the houses of book lovers. I can think of two ladies in particular who have bookshelves in every single room of the house, piles of books stacked here and there and everywhere. Fortunately, not all books make enough of an impact on me that I want to keep them, so library book sales/ donations are the way to go. I can pick up books on the cheap and then donate them back which helps my library both ways.
I dropped a stack of books off to my library, including a recent book I read while camping. I seem to be drawn to stories of dysfunctional families; maybe because it is so different from my own stable, loving childhood. I was hoping for closure for this character and her mother, but instead found these words towards the end of the book that I really liked:
“A Mother’s Love” by Mary Morris book excerpt:
I have come to the place where I must admit that what happens with most people is a mystery to me and probably to themselves as well. And there is no reason to try to comprehend. I have to acknowledge that there are many unanswerable questions in this world, and my story will be one of them. I thought that it would all somehow become clear. I will never know why my mother left or where she went. I will only know what I can know. That there are people in this world who have cared for me and others who have not. A poet once said that our lives are shaped as much by those who refuse to love us and by those who do.
My library’s annual book sale is coming up next month: October 9-12 The last day, fill a bag for $3. What a deal!
Last year on my birthday, I intentionally did 34 “pay it forward”, “make someone smile”, “random acts of kindness” throughout the day. It was awesome, but this year, I want to put a little more time and effort by using the whole month of September. I think that will give me enough time to squeeze 35 actions, representing my 35 years of life. I have a list of ideas, some are easy, some are hard, some cost money and some require time. A few things I’ve been meaning to do forever and just need a little deadline like this to make happen. I hope you’ll cheer me on as I do some things a little out of the ordinary; and if you are inspired to do a random act of kindness in my honor, I’d love to hear about it. I’d consider it a little birthday present!
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